这个周五是美国的六月解放日。美国人在这一天纪念该国对黑人奴役的结束。六月解放日通常被称为美国的第二个独立日。
This year, Juneteenth takes on special meaning as millions of people around the U.S. enter the 25th straight day of civil rights protests. The demonstrators are demanding an end to police violence against blacks and unequal treatment of that population by law enforcement. Studies show a disproportionate number of blacks -- compared to whites -- die or suffer injury at the hands of U.S. police.
今年的六月解放日有着特殊意义，美国各地数百万人连续第25天进行了民权抗议活动。示威者要求制止警察对黑人的暴力行为，以及执法部门对该族群的不平等待遇。研究表明，与白人相比，在美国警察手中死伤的黑人比例要高得多。
Juneteenth marks the day of June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take command of the state. Texas was a member of the Confederate States of America, the alliance of southern states that had fought to keep slavery legal.
六月解放日是纪念1865年6月19日联邦军队到达德克萨斯州加尔维斯敦接管该州。德克萨斯州是美国南部邦联成员，该邦曾为维持奴隶制合法而战。
The general who led the federal troops had some important news and he wasted no time in telling it: the Civil War had ended and the South had surrendered.
率领这支联邦部队的将军得到了一些重要消息，他毫不犹豫地告诉人们，美国内战结束了，南方投降了。
The war had officially ended in April. But it is likely that most of the 250,000 slaves in Texas did not know that at the time. Many also did not know until June 19th that the president of the United States -- Abraham Lincoln -- had declared them free more than two years earlier. White slaveholders would have had little interest in reporting such news nor would they have likely accepted Lincoln's order as lawful.
战争已经于4月份正式结束。但是德克萨斯州25万奴隶中大多数人当时可能还不知道。许多人直到6月19日才知道美国总统林肯两年多前就宣布了他们的自由。白人奴隶主对报道这样的新闻毫无兴趣，也不会认可林肯的命令合法。
The next year, black families and communities led celebrations and other events in Texas to mark the first anniversary of their freedom. In the years that followed, celebrations of the Texas event spread to other states.
第二年，黑人家庭和社区在德克萨斯州举行庆祝活动纪念他们得到自由一周年。在随后几年里，德克萨斯州的庆祝活动传播到了其它州。
In 1970, Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth. Today, 46 other states also mark the anniversary. And, this week, the leaders of New York and Virginia signed orders to recognize Juneteenth each year as a day off with pay for government workers.
1970年，德克萨斯州成为首个承认六月解放日的州。如今其它46个州也庆祝这个周年纪念日。并且本周纽约州和弗吉尼亚州领导人也签署了命令，承认每年的6月解放日为政府雇员的带薪假日。
It seems likely the massive protests this year played a part in the governors' decisions.
今年的大规模示威活动似乎对州长们的决定起到了作用。
The demonstrations began May 26th, the day after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The unarmed black man was killed during an arrest by police.
这次示威活动始于5月26日，也就是乔治·弗洛伊德在明尼苏达州明尼阿波利斯死亡的第二天。这位手无寸铁的黑人男子在被警察逮捕期间死亡。
A video recording of the incident was shared widely on the internet in the hours that followed. In it, Officer Derek Chauvin is seen kneeling on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes. The former officer has been charged with murder in the case. Three others face charges of aiding and abetting murder.
在接下来几个小时中，这起事件的视频已经在互联网上广泛传播。在视频中可以看到警察德里克·乔文跪在弗洛伊德的脖子上长达近9分钟。这位前警察已被指控犯有谋杀罪。另外三名警察面临协助和教唆谋杀的指控。
Since Floyd's death, several other black men have been killed in interactions with the police.
自弗洛伊德死后，还有几名黑人在与警察的接触中被杀害。
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order listing several police reforms. The next day, the U.S. Senate proposed legislation on the issue. And the House of Representatives is expected to open debate on its proposal for police reform next week.
周二，川普总统签署了一项行政命令，列出了几项警察改革。第二天，美国参议院提出了有关该问题的法案。预计众议院将在下周就其有关警察改革的提案展开辩论。
I'm Caty Weaver.
我是凯蒂·韦孚。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)